Need car advice please

[natto fire]

I am getting ready to buy a used car. I have about 1500 dollars so I am looking cheap.

These are the cars I have been looking at.
1987 Volvo 740 GLE - $1000 - 166,000 Miles
1987 Volvo 760 Turbo - $1500 - 247,000 Miles
1989 Nissan 240 SX - $1500 - 128,000 Miles

1987 Toyta Corolla SR5. - $1400 - Unknown Miles

Today I drove the 740 GLE. It seemed to shift really hard. The guy said that if I change the Trans fluid and replaced the filter int the pan then it would stop shifting so hard. So far I have not looked at any of the other cars on my list and all of them are about sixty miles away. However this 740 is just one mile from my house. I really don't feel like shopping for cars but I know I should. I have been calling these other people but they are never home. Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance.

 

[JohnnyKnoxville]

1500$ you can buy alot of bus passes or a motorized scooter

 

[Goldfish]

I'd get the Nissan.

 

[kag]

I would go for the Honda, the engines are very though and you have a car that is 2 years younger than the other ones

 

[themightyplatypus]

The volvos will end up costing you a lot for repairs. I would go with the toyota,nissan or honda.

 

[prontospyder]

I would go with the Accord.

 

[Viper GTS]

Another vote for the Accord.

Viper GTS

 

[frizzlefry]

Accord or Nissan. Depends on mileage on accord though.

 

[JACKHAMMER]

STAY away from the high mileage turbos. I would go with the nissan as it has the most "personality" and nissan have always been reliable.

 

[natto fire]

I am kind of wary to get the 240sx because I know how people drive sports cars. But then again I drive hard even in family sedans so I don't know.

I trust Volvo and Toyotas reliability more than the other two. (personal experience)

I am going to call about the Honda to find out the mileage. (will post)

Thank you all so far.


*EDIT*: DAMN!! The accord has been Sold!

JACKHAMMER I was also worried about that.

 

[rawko]

if your going to get that volvo, have the guy change the fluid and filter himself. If he refuses, he is probably lying about the problem.

 

[RossMAN]

Since the Honda Accord has been sold I would go for the Toyota Corolla, it's no speed demon but they're one of the most reliable cars ever. This is assuming the original owners took good care of it, didn't drive it to hard, etc. My sister has an 11 year old 1990 Toyota Corolla with 87,000 miles and it runs beautifully just change the oil every now and then.

 

[Ultima200]

760 Turbo!!!! The old Volvos are in my top 5 used cars. I love them to hell.

 

[GasX]

Get the guy to change the fluid himslef on the volvo GLE then drive it again. It will probably fix the problem. If he refuses and you buy the car anyway (easy to resell @ $1000), I recommend going to jiffylube and getting the Full Tranny flush where they pump a ton of fluid through and clean out everything including the torque converter. This will fix the majority of hard shifting trannies. If that doesn't work, the tranny is FUBAR.

 

[natto fire]

I know the guy that is selling the 740. I don't think he would take my money so if it really is bad tranny then i will get my money back.

RossMAN Yea i know i have an 87 corolla. I can't drive it on the highway though because my brother wrecked it, twice, and it was rear-ended. I have put about 10,000 miles on it myself. But i have come up with an equation that helps everybody out 1 mile I drive equals 6 miles a normal person would drive. It is expressed like this
1(n)=6(n)
BTW I drive the holy hell piss and vinegar out of any car I get my hands on.

 

[Emulex]

Well first off, lowball the guys for the cars. $1000 for $1500 car is reasonable.

trany work is EXPENSIVE. especially an automatic. I'd get a 5 speed if i were you.

the nissan is probably the best bang for the buck. they have truly bulletproof motors.

avoid any turbo like the plague. A friend got a 740 turbo, and it threw a rod about 2 weeks later.